Will they use Intel SoCs? I hope Intel will get in shape at last. ARM SoC scene is sickening, with no open GPU drivers in sight, which requires glibc based Linux systems to resort to libhybris hacks. With Intel that can be avoided.

Not necessarily, see Secureboot. Being Intel by no means guarantees a more open firmware when there's no need whatsoever for legacy PC support.

Locked bootloaders is a nasty piece of junk, sure. But at least it would mean that Intel SoCs are production ready. For example Jolla could use one in their next device. So far Intel promised a lot, but where are their open SoCs?

Merrifield for example isn't using Intel GPU (it uses PowerVR), so no open drivers there. Only Moorefield will (which isn't going to be out until 2015).